LETTER CLXXIII.

The Lords of the Council in London to those at Windsor, respecting the care of the King's person.

[MS. COTTON. CALIG. B. VII. fol. 408. Orig.]

My Lords, after our most harty commendacions, we have received your Lettres by Mr. Hobby, and herd such credence as he declared on the King's Majesties and your behaulf unto us. Th'aunswers whereunto becawse they may at more lenngth appere to You both by our Lettres to the Kings Majestie and by report also of the said Mr. Hobbye we forbeare to repete here againe, most hartely prayeng and requiring your Lordships and every of you, and nevertheles charging and comaunding you in the Kings Majesties name to have a contynual earnest wache, respect, and care to the suretie of the Kings Majestie our natural and most gracious Soveranne lords persone, and that he be nat removed from his Majesties castel of Wyndesour, as you tender your dueties to Almighty God and his Majestie, and as you will aunswer for the contrary at your uttermost perills. We are moved to call earnestly upon you herein, nat without grete cawse, and, amongs many others, we can nat but remembre unto you that it appearith very straunge unto us and a grete wonder to all true sub

jects that you will either assent or suffer his Majesties most royall persone to remaine in the garde of the Duke of Somersetts men, sequestred from his old sworne servaunts. It seemith straunge that in his Majesties owne Howse strangers shuld be armed with his Majestie's owne armour, and be nearest abowte his Highnes persone; and those to whome the ordynary charge is committed, sequestred away so as they may nat attende according to their sworne duetyes. If any evyll come thereof ye can consider to whome it must be imputed. Ones the exemple is very straunge and perillous. And now my Lords, if you tender the preservacion of his Majestie and the State, joyne with us to that ende. We have wrytten to the Kings Majestie by which way things may sone be quyetly and moderatly compounded; in the doing whereof we mynde to doo none otherwise then we would be doon unto, and that with as much moderacion and favour as we honorably maye. We trust none of you hath juste cawse to note any oon of us, and much lesse all of such crueltye as you so many tymes make mention of. Oon thing in youre Lettres we mervayle much at, which is that you write that you knowe more than we knowe. If the matters comen to your knowlege and hidden from us be of such waight as you seme to pretende, or if they towche or may touche his Majestie or the State, we thinke you do not as you ought in that ye have not disclosed the same unto us being the

hole state of the Counsail. And thus prayeng God to sende you the Grace to do that may tende to the surety of the Kings Majestie and tranquillite of the Realme, we bidde you hartely farewell. From Westm. the ixth of Octobre 1549.

Archbishop Cranmer, Sir William Paget, and Sir Thomas Smith to the Lords of the Council in London, offering terms of accommodation.

[MS. COTTON. CALIG. B. VII. fol. 412.]

It may lyke your good Lordshyps, with our most harty commendacions, to understand that this mornyng Sir Phillip Hobby hath, according to the charge gyven to hym by your Lordships, presented your Letters to the Kings Majestie in the presence of us and all the rest of his Magisties good servants here, which was

respecte to my none honestie that I wolde mainteine it if I had souficiente promis of the same, and so your Grace shal prove me whan it comes to the pointe. And thus I bid you farewel, desiringe God alwais to assiste you in al your affaires. Writen in hast. Frome Hatfelde this 21 of Februarye.

Your assured frende to my litel

To my verey good Lorde my Lorde

Protector.

power

ELIZABETH.

LETTER CLXVII.

The Princess Elizabeth to King Edward VIth upon his recovery from sickness.

[HARL. MS. 6986. ART. 12. Orig.]

QUÒD tanto temporis intervallo tàm raras a me literas acceperis, Rex illustrissime, quibus vel gratias agerem pro beneficiis, vel saltem debitam meam erga te observantiam testatam facerem, spero facile me veniam impetraturam: præsertim cum nulla admissa sit cessatio oblivione quadam tui, cujus nunquam oblivisci vel possum, vel debeo. Nunc vero cum tuam Majestatem in locis non procul Londino sitis versari intelligam, rumpendum mihi silentium esse duxi, ut testi

ficarer, neque de debito meo erga te cultu quicquam esse remissum, neque tua incolumitate quicquam mihi esse posse optabilius quam firmam et integram esse ex quorundam sermone cognovi. Ego sane dum singula Dei Optimi et Maximi beneficia mente recolo, hoc unum ex omnibus maximum fuisse judico, quod te Londini ex proximo morbo tam subitò et clementer restituit. In quem quidem te Dei quadam providentia lapsum esse arbitror, quemadmodum proximis literis ad tuam Majestatem scripsi, ut omni morborum ma-. teria pulsa, tu hujusce regni habenis tractandis quamdiutissime servareris. Nihil æque incertum aut minus diuturnum quàm vita hominis, nimirum qui Pindari testimonio nihil sit aliud, quam vmbræ somnium. Et homine, vt ait Homerus, nihil terra alit fragilius. Cum itaque cujusque hominis vita tot tantisque casibus non modo sit exposita, sed etiam vincatur, singulari quadam divinæ providentiæ clementia et morbum preteritum abs te depulsum, et in istis locorum (quos a morbis non plane immunes fuisse cognovi) et aeris mutationibus tam crebris ab omnibus omnium morborum periculis te servatum esse judicamus. Cui providentiæ Majestatis tuæ tutelam committo, simulque rogo ut eandem quamdiutissime incolumem servet. Ashrigiæ 20 Septembris.

Majestatis tuæ humillima soror

Illustrissimo & Nobilissimo

ELIZABETA.

Regi Edouardo Sexto.